Grooming Hat Trick: Clear Skin

Our teenage days are behind us. And while we may occasionally peek in the rearview to wax nostalgic about days spent doing nothing other than playing Nintendo, we try not to think back on the acne that marred our youthful complexions. But every once in a while the elements of everyday life—oil, dirt, and stress—can bring bad teenage acne memories back to life. The gals of birchbox have “Power of Three.” The guys now have “Grooming Hat Trick.” Here are three essentials for your medicine cabinet to clear up your complexion and keep it clear.

First: Cleanse Gently

Resist the urge to run to the drugstore, grab a super abrasive wash and try to scrub blemishes right off your face. You’ll only make it worse. Instead, wash your face and neck with a gentle cleaner like BORGHESE Crema Saponetta Cleansing Crème. This water-activated lather soothes. It will keep redness and inflammation down while gently removing all the junk from your pores.

Next: Get Sonic

Topical cleansers can only go so far. Take your skin to the next level of clarity with the Clarisonic Classic Sonic Skin Cleansing System. A quick wave of this futuristic brush (it’s like an electric toothbrush for your face) over wet skin removes dirt and toxins from pores while giving your face a micro-massage. What’s more, this gizmo looks great charging in your bathroom. It just might give your electric razor a run for its money as bathroom alpha male.

Then: Target Trouble Spots

All the cleansing and pore-purging is crucial for the long term health of your face, but if you need a zit-free visage fast, it’s time to call in a medicated acne product like PETER THOMAS ROTH Gentle Complexion Correction Pads. They’re soaked in salicylic acid, the go-to drug for healing blemishes. One side of the circular swabs cleans and heals, the other exfoliates and helps to shrink pores to preventing future clogging. And PTR was smart enough to cancel out the nauseating astringent medicinal scent with the subtle smell of fruit.